Easy Peri-Peri Salt Recipe

Just like your favourite chain brand of peri-peri salt, but at a fraction of the price!

I ran out of the peri-peri salt I'd been buying, so being quite a resourceful person, with (I think!) a fairly good palate, I went to the kitchen and tinkered about with the ingredients that were on the jar, comparing the flavour to the last few grains of peri-peri salt I had left...

I had looked online for a peri-peri recipe, but they all seemed to have additional ingredients to what I was trying to create.

Easy Fajita Spice Mix (Gluten Free) and Chicken / Beef Fajitas Recipe

Delicious with Chicken or Beef and Peppers!

Want to knock up your own tasty fajita spice mix in seconds, and know what's in it?

This is my delicious fajita spice mix, similar to commercial brands which you simply sprinkle over your chicken (or beef) strips and stir in just before you cook it - no need to marinate, and you just stir together the spices. It couldn't be more simple, and you know what's in it!

If you don't have onion powder or garlic powder, no problem, you just grate fresh garlic and onion onto the chicken (or beef) and stir in before you add the spice mix, and it tastes just as great either way!

This makes enough to make a generous serving for four people (using 640g chicken cut into 1/4 inch strips, 3 red/orange/yellow peppers, and two small-medium onions - see below for instructions how to use). Easy to double (or more) and store. This quantity makes about 5 x 15ml tbsp, so if you make a big batch, just measure this out for a 4 person serving.

Berbere - Ethiopian / Eritrean Spice Mix

A spicy mix predominately made of chilli, used to flavour many Ethiopian and Eritrean dishes.

One of the fundamental cornerstones of Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking is berbere - families have their own recipes for it, passed down from generation to generation - a bit like Italian families might pass down the recipes for a basic tomato sauce.

You can buy it ready made, but I think you might be disappointed with what is offered by generic spice manufacturers - much better to have a go at blending your own for a bit more authenticity.

Jamaican Curry Powder

This is an authentically flavoured Jamaican Curry powder, perfect for dishes like 'Curry Goat'

The curry powder itself is mild, and you add the heat to the curries with chillies - namely scotch bonnet chillies!

The main ingredient which denotes it as a Jamaican curry powder, is the allspice (also known as pimenton), a fundamental flavouring in many Jamaican dishes.

This will make approximately 135g of curry powder (using 15ml tablespoon measures), and for example, you'd use approximately 1/2 tbsp per person for curry goat at approximately 10 calories per 1/2 tbsp.

Thai Green Curry Paste (Nam Phrik Gaeng Khieo Wan)

One of the foundations of Thai curries, a good green curry paste is essential and not at all difficult to make.

This is the base for the most classic of all Thai curries, used in curries with coconut milk/cream, garnished with kaffir lime leaves, chillies and Thai sweet/holy basil. Green curries are generally thinner, hotter and more pungent than red curries.

Makes approximately 160g in total (including a tbsp water) therefore 10 servings of 16g each (approximately one tbsp) at 14 calories per serving.

Smoky Barbecue Sauce (includes Thermomix method)

You can't beat a decent barbecue sauce, especially if you make it yourself!

This is amazing with my Pulled Pork recipe, especially in a bun with some homemade Southern style coleslaw or with spare ribs, and also great on burgers, with sausages, or even on grilled chicken with a little handful of melted cheese, and a couple of rashers of crispy bacon. You could use it as a glaze if you're cooking, as well as a sauce.

Many commercially-made varieties are overly sugary and vinegary, and lack substance, being made mostly of water and thickener. If you make your own with a base of tomato passata (sieved tomatoes), you can control how sweet and thick it is yourself, and adjust the salt and acidity levels as well. As you can see, I played around until I got it to my preferred consistency and flavour (the bottom right!).

Even better, if you're making it for the family, you can leave out the salt if you have small children (or want to reduce your salt levels). This one does have a little bit of a kick though (only a little one, honest!) from the smoked paprika, so if there are any baby-mouths in the house, you might want to go easy on that! Once you've made it, you could portion it out into re-sealable sandwich bags to freeze (and defrost as required), or store from hot in sterilized jars and refrigerate after opening. If you have a Thermomix, I've included the Thermomix method at the bottom. [Calories in square brackets]

Calories per 2 tbsp (30ml) serving, 24. Makes approximately 1.2 litres / 1,200 ml / 1,200g.

Thai Red Curry Paste (Nam Phrik Gaeng Phed) - from Pestle and Mortar to Thermomix instructions

An essential ingredient for Thai dishes - if you make it yourself, the flavour is far superior to bought pastes.

This will last a little while in the fridge in a sealed container, but I like to freeze it in portions after giving it a couple of days for the flavours to meld, which means it will last for months and retain the original flavour. Delicious in dishes such as my Thai Red Duck Curry, Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and Cucumber Salad, Thai Pork with Green Beans, and Thai Pork in Chilli Sauce.

Makes approximately 480g (with 1tbsp water added to process - 20 portions of 24g each, easily doubled). 319 calories for the batch, therefore with 20 single servings, that’s 16 calories per serving, if you're counting or need to know.

The milder cousin to green curry paste, used in curries with coconut milk/cream, garnished with kaffir lime leaves, chillies and Thai sweet/holy basil. Red curries are generally thicker, milder and less pungent than green curries, with warmer spice notes. Will keep in the fridge for 2-4 weeks. [Calories in square brackets]

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Most of us love a good curry...

...although it's quite easy to get into a bit of a curry 'rut' and end up eating the same curries over and over again. There's nothing wrong with that if you've found the ones you like, but it's always pleasure to find a new one that's really good and add it to your repetoire (and your friends', if you're feeling like sharing!).

If you want a really authentic experience, go for chicken on the bone either chopping up a carcass yourself, or using chicken thighs. I've given a recipe with the choice of using this or chicken breast meat, to cater to different tastes (and those wishing to reduce the fat content).

Serves a generous four (to six), easily halved or doubled. The curry powder makes more than you need, but will keep for months in an airtight container or jar (and you’ll definitely want to make this one again, or even make it in bulk as gifts! You can also use it in my delicious Spiced Sweet Potato and Tomato Soup).

Cajun Spice / Seasoning Mix (includes Thermomix instructions)

Like it spicy and full of flavour?

Want to add a tasty kick the next time you grill, griddle or barbeque some chicken, pork or salmon, or indeed anything else you fancy? Fed up of paying over-the-odds for overly-salty pre-made spice mixes with added nasties?

Well, make it yourself then!

It will only take you a few minutes, and it's really easy! Makes around 32 servings, at 5 calories per teaspoon, and you can season with the salt element to suit you.